Call To Action
A call to action is an internet marketing term used to describe a button or catch phrase that forces a user to perform some sort of action.
An action could be defined as clicking on a button or banner thus moving deeper into the website or navigating to a landing page.
The How’s and Why’s
Any good internet marketing professional will demand that you create calls to action on your principle landing pages, or your email marketing material. These calls can and usually are in the form of a button, banner or headline link. They are your sales pitch.
What you want is to get the user to click on them, so they must be attractive and in the right location. They must be easily available and they must contain the right message.
By using calls to action you can control what your user sees by directing them to the pages you want. These pages are then set up in such a way that the user has all the information they need to take the next step.
Email Marketing
Regardless what you think email marking is still one of the best marketing systems created. Email marketing works really well when you have a list of email address who have at one time expressed interest in your products or services.
Its drawback is your marketing email. If you compose a crappy email the response will be bad. If its good it will have a calls to action which will direct the readers to a landing page and if you create a great landing page you will get a conversion. Of course the great landing page will also have awesome call to action buttons.
What They Look Like
I know there are many out there that are saying right now “ok but what do they look like?” They are really easy to spot because they draw your attention and that’s the whole point.
A call to action button or banner will in fact draw your users attention. A call to action will usually have a great catch words like “Order Now”, “Free”, “Buy Today”, etc.
It will usually be surrounded by descriptive text that is your sales pitch. If its in the form of a banner the background image can say it all for you if you design it correctly and use surface text to sell your user.
And remember it should stand out and draw your users attention. You want them to click on it, you want them to go to the next step. You want them to convert from a user to a lead or customer.
Call To Action Placement
Call to action banners and or buttons can be put anywhere on your website but the best places for them are on your home page and on designated landing pages. Remember these landing pages are also important so design them well.
As to where specificlly to put them, this is trial and error but you should get good tracking software and code each call to action and see for yourself which call works and which does not. Or you can hire an internet marketing expert and have them do everything for you.
Good Calls Good Reactions
So there you have it, the basic facts about call to action. Buttons banners or headlines that get your users to react. Design good landing pages or simple forms and get good conversions. Easy enough right?
Tags: call to action, email marketing, Internet Marketing, landing pages